Further Information

This is the western half of a larger survey, drawn by Lieutenant (later Captain) Thomas Hannaford Hurd, RN. It was the first definitive hydrographic work on the Island and was directly responsible, thanks to its accuracy, for the expansion of British interest in Bermuda and also for the development of the naval base at Ireland point on the Island. It is full of great hydrographic and cartographic detail and is beautifully coloured. Of particular note is the relationship between the island itself and the attention paid to the surrounding sand-banks, reefs and shoals which take-up over 70% of the total chart. Note that this part of the survey was started in 1788, one year before the eastern part.

After the loss of her mainland colonies in North America in 1781 Bermuda took-on an ever greater level of importance to the British. The location of the Island, close to mainland America and midway between the West Indies and Halifax in Canada, provided Britain with a base from which to protect her interests and trade-routes with her remaining colonies.

As a young naval officer Hurd had served on the Newfoundland and North American stations between 1771 and 1774, where he took part in hydrographic surveys under Samuel Holland in the armed vessel Canceaux. In 1788 Hurd was sent by the Admiralty to carry out a detailed hydrographic survey of Bermuda, which took nine years to complete between 1788 and 1797. The combined Western and Eastern sections measure a mammoth 17 feet by 8 feet when put together.

Hurd was assisted in the production of the survey by local slaves, including James Darrell, who were chosen for their skill as pilots and their extensive knowledge of the island’s bays, inlets and coastline. The survey details several channels at the east end of the island which allow naval ships to navigate the treacherous reefs and enter protected anchorages without incident.

On May 17, 1795, two years after Hurd began his survey, Darrell successfully manoeuvred Rear Admiral George Murray’s 74-gun ship HMS Resolution into a deep anchorage—now known as Murray’s Anchorage—on the North Shore near Tobacco Bay, St. George’s. It was a feat requiring great skill even with the use of a detailed survey, and Darrell impressed everyone with his ability from onlookers to Murray himself, who wrote Governor James Craufurd the same day showering Darrell with praise. Prior to this, ships had usually entered Bermuda from the west end or from the south shore into Castle Harbour. As a direct result of his feat, Murray recommended that the government purchase Darrell’s freedom as an example to others who might also be inspired to become King’s pilots.

This original survey with all of it's amazing detail was not published, even in a reduced format, for over a quarter of a century for fear that it may fall into American hands.